Garment-press.



B. W. BROCKETT.

GARMENT PRES S.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. 1916.

1 ,245, 3 1 4:. Patented Nov. 6, 1917'.

B. W. BROCKETT.

GARMENT PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. I916.

Pfitented Nov. '6, 1917.

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I0, ASSIGN'OB TO THE AMERICAN LAUNDRY A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

GARMENT-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. d, 191?.

Application filed June 19, 1916. Serial No. 104,581.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Bnurono W. BROCKETT, citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garment-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to garment presses employing relatively movable pressing members or bucks between which the garment is pressed.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved garment press of this kind provided with means for projecting or discharging a supply of steam across the face of one or the other of the bucks and parallel with the buck face, and more particularly outside of the press cloth or padding at tached to the bucks. for the purpose of moistening the garment, or. after the pressing operation is concluded, for raising its nap. A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and eiiicient construction for this purpose which can be embodied in a garment press already in use; which is self heated and largely prevents condensation of the steam in the supply conduit; which will automatically drain back to the pressing buck any moisture condensed in the supply conduit; which can be conveniently and readily manipulated by the operator to discharge steam upon the garment at any stage of the pressing operation; and which is of simple form and can he made and applied to a garment press at low cost. Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

The invention comprises the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents an end elevation of the upper portion of a gar ment press embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper buck; Fig. 3 is a front view thereof, partly broken out and in sectional elevation through the regulating elevation on the line 4-4 Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the upper buck. illustrating a modified form of the invention; and Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the garment press shown, as to most of its operating usual manner,

parts, is of the same form and arrangement shown in a prior application of William Andree for garment press, filed March 22, 1916, Serial No. 85,908, to which reference may be had for a complete understanding of the mechanism. Briefly stated the machine includes a suitable frame 1 having a support 2 for the steam heated lower pressing member or buck 3. ,On an upright hollow column of said frame is pivotally mounted the supporting lever 4 for the upper pressing member or buck 5, said lever being provided with a counter-weight for said buck (not shown), and being normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by the tension spring 6, but being capable of oscillation about its pivot to force the upper buck into pressing relation with the lower buck in the by operation of the toggle mechanism 7 as will be readily understood. Since the present invention relates entirely to the construction of the pressing members or bucks no further description of the machine is necessary.

Both the upper and lower bucksare of the usual form in so far as each comprises a body portion over which is stretched a press cloth or padding 8. so that during the pressing op eration the garment is pressed between said press cloths. The body portions of the bucks are also suitably heated, preferably by steam, and for this purpose their inner chambers are connected to a suitable source of steam, the-steam supply to the upper buck being through the pipe 9.

One of the purposes of the present invention is to project or discharge a supply of steam in one direction across the face of one of the bucks, preferably the upper buck, and outside of the press cloth attached thereto. This steam supply comes from a source, such as a conduit or pipe, located at the edge of the buck, and self heated to prevent condensation of the steam therein and arranged to discharge a cloud or stream of steam parallel with its plane and away from the operator. I

The press cloth or padding 8 is drawn up around the periphery of the buck in any suitable manner, being held thereon by any suitable means, such as flexible bands or straps 10 passing over the buck and provided at their ends with hooks 11 hooked into the edges of the cloth. Opposite the edges of the buck and a pipe or conduit 12, which is shown as extending substantially from end to end of the buck alon its front edge. Said pipe or conduit may be a casting hollowed out to provide a live steam space ,13 in its upper portion and extending from end to end thereof, which space is in communication with the hollow buck through two pipe connections 15 at its opposite ends, said pipe connections also forming supports for the conduit 12. The center of the conduit may also be supported from the buck, as by being bolted or otherwise suitably secured to an angle member 16 attached to the edge of the buck, as shown spaced therefrom, is

in Fig. 4. The lower portion of the conduit I 12 extends downwardly and inwardly toward the center of the buck, terminating just short of its'edge, and being provided with a hollow steam discharge chamber 17 opening toward the center of the buck through a series of small openings or a longitudinally extending narrow slot 18. Any steam admitted to the chamber 17 is discharged through the slot 18 in a stream or cloud which passes across the face of the buck in its place, and just below the press cloth thereon.

Suitable means is also provided for controlling communication between the live steam space 13 and steam discharge chamber 17 of the conduit 12, said means being shown as a quick opening valve 19 and controlling a port or opening 20 in the division wall between space 13 and chamber 17, said valve being located substantially midway of the length of the buck and having a stem 21 operated by a handle 22. Any other suitable form of valve may be used, however, the one shown being not essential.

In operation of the machine the garment is laid upon the lower buck and the upper buck moved down by operation of the toggle mechanism in the usual manner. Just before the press cloth of the upper buck engages the garment the valve 19 is opened to admit steam from the live steam space 13 which is always in communication with the hollow chamber of the buck) to the chamber 17 from which it is discharged through the opening or slot 18 along the plane of the upper buck across the press cloth or padding upon its surface. While the steam is evenly and rapidly distributed over the garment and thoroughly moistens the same,

it does not have any tendency to disturb it or, change its position on the lower buck.

The lever mechanism is then operated further to force the upper buck into close pressing relation with the lower buck for the final pressing operation. The upper buck is then raised and additional steam is pro jected across the face of the buck and upon the garment to raise its nap.

space 14 within the upper "buck, a

chamber of the buck, and said live steamheats the conduit 12 sufficiently to usually prevent condensation of any moisture therein. However, should any condensation occur the liquid formed drains back through the pipes 15 into the hollow buck when the latter is next raised to its upper position shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 5- and 6 show another arrangement of the invention in which the live steam 13* extends down along the side of the steam discharge chamber 17 and consequently. more thoroughly prevents condensation of moisture therein. Also in this arrangement the steam supply conduit is supported by two brackets 25 spaced along the length of the buck, instead of by a single support opposite the valve 19, as in Fig. 4. Various other modifications in the construction and details Will skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. A garment press, comprising a lower buck, a hollow upper buck cooperating therewith and having a steam chamber, and a steam supply conduit carried by the upper buck and communicating at its opposite ends with the chamber therein, said conduit being arranged to discharge a supply of steam across the face of the upper buck.

2. A garment press, comprising a lower buck, a hollow upper buck cooperating therewith and having a steam chamber, a steam supply conduit carried by the upper buck and communicating at its opposite ends with the chamber therein, said conduit being arranged to discharge a supply of steam across the face of the upper buck, and a valve controlling the flow of steam'from said chamber to said conduit.

3. A garment press, comprising a lower buck, a hollow upper buck, cooperating therewith and having a steam chamber, and

to end thereof, said conduit communicating at its opposite ends with the chamber of said buck and being arranged to discharge a supply of steam across the face of the upper buck, and a valve located between the ends of the buck and controlling the flow of steam from the buck chamber to said con- 4. A garment press, comprising a lower hollow upper buck cooperating therewith and having a steam chamber, nd a steam supply conduit carried by the u per buck, said conduit being provided wi a live steam space communicating with the buck chamber and also having a steam discharge chamber opening toward the center of the buck.

readily occur to those 5. A garment press, comprising a lower center of the buck,

buck, a hollow upper buck cooperating therewith and having a steam chamber, a steam supply conduit carried by the upper buck, said conduit being provided with a live steam space communicating with the buck chamber and also having a steam discharge chamber opening toward thecenter of the buck, and means for controlling the flow of steam from the live steam space to' said discharge chamber.

6. A garment press, comprising a lower buck, a hollow upper buck communicating therewith and having a steam chamber, a steam supply conduit attached to the upper buck and movable therewith, said conduit being provided with a live steam space extending from end to end thereof and communicating with the opposite ends of the buck chamber, and also having a steam discharge chamber therein opening toward the and a valve located between the ends of the buck and controlling the flow of steam from the live steam space to said discharge chamber.

7. A self-contained steaming device for attachment to the buck of a pressing machine, comprising a conduit provided with a live steam space and. also having a steam chamber communicating with said space and from which steam is discharged to the atmosphere.

8. A self-contained steaming device for attachment to the buck ofa pressing machine, comprising a conduit provided with a live steam space and also having a longitudinal steam chamber opening out through the wall of saiddevice, and a valve controlling the flow of steam from said space to said chamber.

9. A pressing machine, comprising. relatively movable bucks, and a steaming device at the edge of one of said bucks and detachably connected thereto, said device being provided with a steam chamber having a discharge opening, and means on said device for preventing steam condensation therein.

10. A pressing machine, comprising relatively movable bucks, and a steaming device detachably connected to one of said bucks and spaced from the edge thereof, said device comprising a conduit having a steam chamber provided with a discharge opening, and means extending lengthwise of said conduit for heating same to prevent steam condensation therein.

a In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

BLUFOR-D W. BROCKETT. 

